ADVICE NEEDED FOR NEW ENGINE

[SwggMsthh]

I’m planning on buying a dressed blueprint 350 crate for my Malibu sedan (305, th350h). I want to get ahead on wiring and electronics, so I’m wondering if I need the stock ecm?
I don’t plan on having ac/heating any time soon on it. Just pure motor. I know I’ll need a new gauge cluster since I have the stuck dummy cluster. So all things considered, what do my fellow g body owners think? Will it run without my stock ecm? Or what exactly needs to be ran through the ecm? Do I have to buy a new engine management system?

 

[86LK]

ECM? on a Malibu? only reason for an "ECM" is the smog pump and distributor. change to vacuum advance dizzy, swap a different carb, and toss the air pump. you're done.

 

[SwggMsthh]

ECM? on a Malibu? only reason for an "ECM" is the smog pump and distributor. change to vacuum advance dizzy, swap a different carb, and toss the air pump. you're done.

Yup, it HAD the emissions stuff until I broke down the engine for the swap…so according to your reply I won’t need my ECU then (computer under the dash by the b pillar)

 

[86LK]

Yup, it HAD the emissions stuff until I broke down the engine for the swap…so according to your reply I won’t need my ECU then (computer under the dash by the b pillar)

which year Malibu? which carb?

iirc, the computer worked with the carb (E4ME, for example) in analyzing signals and maintaining as close to perfect an AFR it could get in conjunction with the distributor.

 

[565bbchevy]

I’m planning on buying a dressed blueprint 350 crate for my Malibu sedan

A dressed Blueprint engine should come with a Holley carb and an HEI ignition, with neither needing an ECM to run.

 

[Bonnewagon]

There should be a harness on the passenger side of the lower firewall. All the ECM wiring is in that harness. The ECM is in the passenger side kick panel. You can junk it all. Otherwise the engine still runs like before computers. Non-CCC carb, distributor, no emissions stuff, and the tuning is all on you. I have a 1979 Pontiac 301 in my 1983 Bonnewagon. It looks dead stock, yet no CCC stuff at all.

 

[SS_Malibu]

Without AC/heating and no ECM you’ll only need to hook up a few wires to make that engine run. Starter wires, distributor wire and temp sensor. That BluePrint engine will come with an HEI distributor and Holley carb with manual choke.

If you are looking for a factory rally gauge set I have the one I pulled out of my 79 Malibu you can have for cheap.
PM me if interested.

 

[SwggMsthh]

There should be a harness on the passenger side of the lower firewall. All the ECM wiring is in that harness. The ECM is in the passenger side kick panel. You can junk it all. Otherwise the engine still runs like before computers. Non-CCC carb, distributor, no emissions stuff, and the tuning is all on you. I have a 1979 Pontiac 301 in my 1983 Bonnewagon. It looks dead stock, yet no CCC stuff at all.

I’ve located and labeled the connections on the that exact harness you mentioned…it’s all just there hanging now lol

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Two pieces of information is needed, what year Malibu and which state do you reside?

You can also easily install the CCC stuff onto your new motor. The ECM controls the air fuel mixture on the primary side of the stock E4ME Qjet, ignition advance on the stock distributor, and torque convertor in the transmission. The stock speedometer contains the speed sensor the ECM needs, I don’t know of any aftermarket gauges that have a suitable speed sensor. The CCC is an all or nothing system, it needs all of its sensors plus the stock carb and distributor to work. Keep in mind that deleting emissions, driving a tampered car on public roads, or selling a tampered car are illegal under Federal law.

Aftermarket carbs likec Holley are set and forget like Qjets, you will be needing to readjust it repeatedly. Its probably where the current meme of old cars needing constant tinkering comes from.

 

[SwggMsthh]

Two pieces of information is needed, what year Malibu and which state do you reside?

You can also easily install the CCC stuff onto your new motor. The ECM controls the air fuel mixture on the primary side of the stock E4ME Qjet, ignition advance on the stock distributor, and torque convertor in the transmission. The stock speedometer contains the speed sensor the ECM needs, I don’t know of any aftermarket gauges that have a suitable speed sensor. The CCC is an all or nothing system, it needs all of its sensors plus the stock carb and distributor to work. Keep in mind that deleting emissions, driving a tampered car on public roads, or selling a tampered car are illegal under Federal law.

Aftermarket carbs likec Holley are set and forget like Qjets, you will be needing to readjust it repeatedly. Its probably where the current meme of old cars needing constant tinkering comes from.

1983 and I’m Dallas, TX…they’re doing away with inspections in general in May of this year